Snubbed truck



Nov. 26, 1957 w. LQSCHLEGEL, JR I 2,814,259

SNUBBED TRUCK 'Filed Feb. 28, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 1 qzzazw at. sfi lif'y. BY W 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 22%, 50b. 6*. 6 My Nov. 26, 1957.

W. L. SCHLEGEL, JR

SNUBBED TRUCK Filed Feb. 28. 1952 W. L. SCHLEGEL, JR

Nov. 26', 1957' SNUBBED TRUCK s She ets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 28, 1952.

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SNUBBED TRUCK Walter L. Schlegel, IL, Chicago, Ill., assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of lilhnols Application February 28, 1952, Serial No. 273,825

16 Claims. (Cl. 105-197) My invention relates primarily to snubbing means operative to choke relative movement between flexibly separated parts and more particularly to the application of said means to railway car trucks.

An object of my invention is to provide damping means for relatively movable parts utilizing companion, slidably engaging, spring-loaded friction shoes.

Another object of my invention is to apply a device of the character described to the movable bolster of a railway car truck.

Still another object of my invention is the application of said device to a ride control spring package.

A further object of my invention is the utilization of said device on the bolster of a railway car truck in combination with means to positively restrict lateral movement of the bolster.

Other objects of my invention will become apparent in the course of the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of my invention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of another form of the invention;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of another application of my invention;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figures 7 and 8 are detailed views showing the construction of the left-hand friction shoe, as seen in Figure 5, and

Figures 9 and 10 are detailed views showing the construction of the right-hand friction shoe, as seen in Figure 5.

To achieve clarity, parts of the structure have been omitted from various views where it is believed an adequate showing is made in other views.

Describing the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a railway truck side frame of the truss type, generally designated 10, is made up of tension member 12 and compression member 14, joined at respective adjacent ends thereof (not shown) in the conventional manner. Spaced columns 16, 16 are vertically disposed and merge at opposite ends thereof with the adjacent tension member 12 and compression member 14, defining bolster opening 18. The columns 16 present opposed substantially flat surfaces 20, to each of which may be secured, as by welding at 22 or other rigid means, a plate 24 having substantial frictional characteristics. Below the bolster opening 18, the tension member 12 is widened and presents inboard and outboard upstanding flanges 26 and 28, defining, with the opposed columns 16, a spring seat 30. Positioned on the spring seat 30 of the tension member 12 in said bolster opening, may be a spring group gennted States Patent 0 Patented Nov. 26, 1957 erally designated 32 and comprising a plurality of coil springs. The springs are retained in normal relationship between confining flanges 26 and 28 and between lugs 34 and 36 depending from the associated bolster, generally designated 38.

The bolster 38 is of box-like construction comprising side walls 40, 40, a top wall 42, and the bottom wall 44. Each side wall 40 flares outwardly at points adjacent the bolster end to form gibs 46 which partially embrace with substantially small clearance, the adjacent column 16 and are operative to positively limit lateral movement of the bolster 38 relative to the side frame 10.

In this connection, it is to be noted that the vertical distance as illustrated by A in Figure l, is less than the spaced height B of the same figure. This feature permits assembly of the bolster 38 by threading the same through the lower portion of the bolster opening and raising it to the illustrated position, after which the spring group 32 is positioned.

The passageway or aperture 50 is defined in the bolster adjacent its end, by top and bottom walls 42 and 44 and the flared longitudinal portions 52 of the side walls 40. Said passageway or channel 50 presents openings at opposite ends thereof and the longitudinal axis of said channel is perpendicular to and in line with the plates 24 I of the adjacent column 16.

Within the passageway 50, the oppositely disposed friction shoes 54 and 56 are preferably positioned in inclined planed engagement with each other as at 5'8, but may engage each other along crowned surfaces. Within each shoe 58 is defined a vertical recess 60 and 62, respectively.

Referring specifically to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the recess 62 in shoe 56 receives and seats a compressed coiled spring 64, which in turn operatively abuts the top wall 42 urging the shoe to firmly seat on the bottom wall 44. Like reception of spring as is afforded by recess 60 of the companion shoe S4. The compression of spring 66 as it operatively abuts the top wall 42 urges shoe 54 downwardly and effects slidable engagement of the shoes 54 and 56 along the plane 578, which in turn forces the shoes outwardly from each other. This action results in substantially diverting the direction of applied force from the vertical to the horizontal plane and maintains each shoe in frictional contact with the adjacent plate 24 on the companion column 16, resulting in a snubbing or choking of relative movement between the bolster 38 and the side frame 10.

The embodiment shown in Figure 3 duplicates that shown in Figure 1, except in hereinafter mentioned particulars. The recess 70 of the shoe 72 opens downwardly while the recess 74 of the shoe 76 opens upwardly. The companion springs 78 and 80 urge the auxiliary shoe upwardly and downwardly, respectively, thus affecting an action similar to that described relative to the embodiment shown in Figure 1.

It is to be noted that satisfactory operation of the device can be achieved if only one shoe is equipped with an actuating spring. A similar satisfactory result could be obtained with one shoe fixed to the bolster and one shoe movable, relying upon the wedging effect of the movable shoe as it is urged outwardly into engagement with the adjacent column.

Referring specifically to Figures 4" through 10, the invention is illustrated as applied to a spring package which may be used to afford resilient support for the bolster of a railway car truck not equipped with built in snubbing means. For such use the outer members of the spring package are adapted for reception within complementary openings of the associated supported and supporting members, such as a bolster and side frame (not shown) of a conventional railway car truck. The spring package comprises opposed followers flexibly interconnected by a plurality of coiled springs.

The lower follower generally designated 80 comprises a plurality of spring seats 81 in quadrantal distribution about the center lines thereof. Centrally of each spring seat 81, a hole 100 is defined to allow for moisture escape from said seat. The seats 81 are defined by lower walls 82 and upstanding therefrom the arcuate, vertically rising flanges 84. Inboardly of the spring seats, a box-like pocket 86 is formed, comprising centrally spaced longitudinal side walls 88 interconnected at respective ends thereof by transverse end walls 90. The end walls 90 terminate a substantial distance below the lower extremities of the longitudinal walls 88 and are interconnected at that point by the horizontal plate 92. Thus an aperture is presented on each side of the device preventing excessive moisture and waste being trapped within the pocket 86.

Strength and rigidity are added to the entire structure by the addition of the longitudinal gusset plates 94, 84, interconnecting the transverse walls 90, the lower walls 82, and the arcuate flanges 84, and the horizontal plates 96 interconnecting the longitudinal walls 88 and the flanges 84. The inboard side of each longitudinal wall 88 is formed to present a substantially flat frictional face 98.

The upper follower, generally designated 102, has a peripheral contour substantially similar to that of the lower follower 80. A fiat top plate 104 has depending therefrom, a flange 106 arcuately forming a plurality of spring seats 108 in quadrantal disposition about the center lines of said follower. Centrally located on said upper follower is the depending, shoe supporting member 110, comprising spaced transverse walls 112 interconnected at their lower ends by the horizontal plate 114, said member being partially embraced by the pocket 86 of the lower follower 80. The top plate 104, the transverse walls 112, and the horizontal plate 114 define a passageway 115, the axis of which is perpendicular to the frictional faces 98 of the pocket 86, of the lower follower 80.

Figures 7 and 8 are detail views of the left frictional shoe 116, as seen in Figure 5, said shoe comprising the friction surface 118 and the spaced coplanar actuating surfaces 120, 120 in inclined relationship with the friction surface. Intermediate the actuating surfaces 120, 120 is defined the cylindrical recess 122, the axis of which is parallel to the plane of the friction surface 118.

Figure 9 is a detail of the right frictional shoe 121, and comprises a friction surface 124 and outstanding therefrom the spaced coplanar actuating surfaces 126, 126 formed on the parallel arms 125.

The friction shoes 116 and 121 are disposed within the passageway 115 with their respective engaging surfaces 118 and 124 abutting the adjacent frictional surfaces 98 of the lower follower 80. The shoes are positioned to engage each other along their respective actuating surfaces 120 and 126, to form an area of engagement at 130, which is preferably along an incline but, as is well known in the art, may be along crowned surfaces. The recess 122 of shoe 116 is disposed vertically to receive and seat, a compressed coiled spring or the like, said spring engaging at its opposite end the top plate 104 of the upper follower 102.

In response to the vertical urging of the last mentioned coiled spring, the shoes slidably engage each other along the area designated 130 and are forced outwardly from each other and into pressured engagement with the related friction faces 98 of the pocket 86, on the lower follower 80, resulting in a damping of relative movement between the respective followers.

I claim:

1. In a railway car truck, a side frame comprising a compression member, a tension member, and spaced columns defining a bolster opening, a spring group seated on said tension member within said opening, a bolster seated on said spring group, said bolster having parallel side walls inboard of said columns, friction panels on said columns, said bolster having on each wall thereof spaced integral distended members embracing the adjacent column and operative to positively limit lateral movement of said bolster, a rectangular open end channel formed in said bolster longitudinally of the truck and adjacent said columns, a pair of friction shoes of rectangular cross section slidably embraced by said channel and abutting each other on a plane diagonal to and centrally intersecting the central transverse vertical plane of said truck, a spring seat within each of said shoes, and a spring engaging each of said seats and engaging said bolster on opposed planes and operative to urge the companion shoes in a vertical direction.

2. In a railway car truck, a side frame having tension and compression members and spaced columns defining a bolster opening, a bolster having an end within said opening, a plurality of springs affording resilient support for said bolster, two friction shoes disposed within said bolster adjacent its end and having frictional engagement with said columns on a horizontal axis extending longitudinally of the truck, the engaged surfaces on said shoes and columns being mutually parallel, surfaces on said shoes slidably engaging each other angularly to the mentioned axis, and a vertical compressed spring engaging at least one of said shoes and said bolster and operative to maintain said shoes in frictional engagement with said columns.

3. In a railway car truck, a side frame having tension and compression members and spaced columns defining a bolster opening, a bolster and inserted between said columns, springs supporting said bolster end, plates on said columns presenting vertical transverse surfaces adjacent opposite sides of said bolster, a pair of friction shoes having outer end surfaces engaging said surfaces on said columns and disposed within a channel within said bolster, said shoes having faces angularly related to said surfaces and delineating an area of slidable engagement between said shoes, and a vertical spring operatively engaging one of said shoes and bolster to urge said shoes and said surfaces into frictional engagement.

4. In a railway car truck, a side frame having tension and compression members and spaced columns defining a bolster opening, the combination of a bolster end embraced by said columns, a spring group supporting said bolster end, an aperture within said bolster extending longitudinally of the truck, friction shoes disposed within said aperture in perpendicular engagement with said columns, a surface on one of said shoes in angular relation to the companion column, another surface on the other of said shoes abutting the first mentioned surface, and a vertical spring for each of said shoes reacting between the respective shoe and the bolster and operative to maintain constant frictional engagement between the shoes and the columns as the bolster moves relative to the columns.

5. In a movement damping device, a sprung member resiliently supported on a fixed member, spaced vertical surfaces integrally formed on said fixed member, opposed shoes supported by said sprung member intermediate said surfaces and having frictional engagement with said surfaces, an actuating surface on one of said shoes angularly related to the mentioned vertical surfaces, a like actuating surface on the other of said shoes in slidable engagement with the actuating surface of said one shoe, and vertical spring means reacting between said shoes and the sprung member to exert constant pressure on said shoes along a line angularly related to the actuating surfaces.

6. In a spring package, a lower follower, an upper follower spaced therefrom, a plurality of similar spring seats at opposed points on the respective followers, coiled springs affording flexible connection between said followers, a portion depending from said upper follower and partially embraced by vertical surfaces on said lower follower, friction shoes disposed within said portion and in upstanding surfaces on said lower member, a portion depending from said upper member and embraced by said surfaces, a passageway extending through said portion perpendicular to said surfaces, a friction shoe disposed within said passageway and defining an inclined plane at one end thereof, and another friction shoe also disposed within said passageway and engaging the first mentioned shoe on said inclined plane, said friction shoes being movable laterally in said passageway, vertical spring means compressed between said upper member and said shoes operative for moving the shoes outwardly from each other and into engagement with the upstanding surfaces.

8. In a spring snubbing arrangement, a pair of spaced followers limitedly movable toward and away from each other, a plurality of coiled springs therebetween flexibly accommodating said movement, friction shoes contained by one of said followers and having inclined planed engagement with each other, and pressure means engaging said shoes and said one follower in the direction of movement of the followers relative to each other and operative to induce and maintain constant frictional contact between said shoes and said other follower.

9. In a railway car truck, a side frame consisting of tension and compression members, spaced vertical columns defining with said members a bolster opening, a spring group seated on said tension member and supporting a bolster seated thereon, said bolster having a passageway therethrough, the longitudinal axis of which intersects said spaced columns, a friction shoe disposed within said passageway inwardly adjacent one of said columns, said shoe defining a vertically disposed recess, another friction shoe disposed within said passageway inwardly adjacent one of said columns and angularly abutting the first mentioned shoe and having a vertically disposed recess, said shoes having abutting surfaces angularly disposed to said columns, a separate spring for each of said shoes compressively seated within the cooperating recess and having coplanar engagement with said bolster, the spring in the first mentioned shoe being operative to seat the same firmly within the passageway and the spring in the second mentioned shoe operative to urge said shoes outwardly from each other and into frictional engagement wtih the adjacent column.

10. In a spring package, spaced supporting members, opposed spring seats on each of said members in quadrantal disposition thereon, coiled springs connecting adjacent spring seats and accommodating relative movement between said members toward and from each other, parallel upstanding walls equally spaced from the central vertical axis of said package on one of said members, and a friction device connected to the other of said members and engaging said walls comprising a pair of oppositely disposed friction shoes engageable with said said upstanding walls and having inclined planed engagement with each other, the plane of engagement being bisected by said axis, and a spring reacting between the shoes and the other of said members in the direction of the relative movement of said members.

11. In a railway car truck, a side frame having tension and compression members and spaced columns defining a bolster opening, the combination of a group of coiled springs, a bolster supported by said springs, a pair of friction shoes disposed within said bolster adjacent said columns, said shoes having outer end surfaces engaging said columns, and having inner end surfaces in mutual 6 sliding abutment disposed at an angle to the horizontal, and vertical spring means reacting directly between the shoes and the bolster to urge. the shoes into frictional engagement with the columns.

12. In a railway car truck, a side frame having tension and compression members, spaced columns integral with said frame, a bolster portion between said columns, a spring group affording the only means of support for said portion, a first shoe on said bolster having an outer end surface engaging one of said columns in a substantially vertical plane, a movable shoe having an outer end surface engaging the other of said columns in a substantially vertical plane, the movable shoe abutting the first shoe in a plane angularly related to said planes, and a vertical compressed spring engaging said movable shoe and bolster and urging the former to slidably engage the first mentioned shoe whereby a wedge action is produced causing the shoes to frictionally engage respective columns.

13. In a spring supporting and snubbing arrangement comprising spaced followers, coiled springs between adjacent seats to accommodate relative movement between said followers, the combination of spaced vertical surfaces on one of said followers, a shoe containing member supported by the other of said followers and positioned intermediate said surfaces, friction shoes within said member and having end surfaces projecting through side openings in the member engaging said vertical surfaces, and having interengaged inner end surfaces disposed angularly to said vertical surfaces, and vertical compressed spring means disposed entirely within said shoe containing member and operatively interposed between said shoes and the member containing them for maintaining friction contact between said shoes and said vertical surfaces.

14. In a friction damping arrangement, spaced elements having limited relative movement toward and away from each other, flexible structure positioned between said elements to resiliently accommodate said movement, laterally movable friction members supported by one of said elements, friction portions supported by the other of said elements, and means operative to engage said friction members with respective friction portions, said means consisting of an inclined common abutting area between said members and a vertical spring carried entirely by said one element and reacting between that element and at least one of said members to accomplish relative outward movement between said friction members.

15. In a movement damping arrangement, a fixed supporting member having opposed parallel vertical faces, a sprung member, a plurality of coiled springs supporting said sprung member from the supporting member between said faces, friction shoes located between said fixed member faces, said friction shoes being disposed within said sprung member and slidably engaging the related fixed member faces, complementary surfaces on each shoe angularly related to said faces, said surfaces directly slidably engaging each other, and a vertical spring entirely carried by the sprung member operatively interposed between said sprung member and one of said shoes and operative to urge the shoes apart into frictional engagement with the related fixed member faces.

16. In a spring package, the combination of a spring seat defining upper member, a spring seat defining lower member, a coiled spring connection therebetween, a friction housing upstanding from said lower member, a support depending from said upper member, laterally movable friction elements contained by said support, an actuating surface angularly related to the vertical defined by points of contact between said laterally movable friction elements, and vertical spring means compressed between said upper member and said movable friction elements, said spring means being operative to move said movable friction element soutwardly along the actuating surface whereby frictional engagement results between said movable friction elements and said friction housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Drenning Dec. 18, 1928 

